live blog
In the second main round game at the European Handball Championship, Germany will face the big sensation of the tournament: the Austrians. Everything about the game in the live blog.
8:00 p.m
Beware of Bilyk and Hutecek
Nikola Bilyk and Lukas Hutecek are the Austrians’ two Bundesliga legionnaires – and both are extremely dangerous. Together with former Bundesliga professional Robert Weber, they are the best goalscorers – almost every attack comes from the backcourt duo – and so far with great success.
6:33 p.m
Julian Köster “world class” according to national coach
“Despite his young age, he has matured into a world-class defensive player”said national coach Alfred Gislason about Julian Köster, who scored the last highly celebrated goal against Iceland. “What sets him apart is that he reads the opponent’s game.” The DHB coach would prefer to let Köster play all the time. But he knows that he has to manage Köster’s strength: “I usually replace Köster after a quarter of an hour in attack. I need him in defense until the end of the game,” Gislason said.
5:11 p.m
Wolff: Austria is the “team of the hour”
Andreas Wolff, match winner in the 26:24 win against the Icelanders, looks ahead. “We are now playing against the team of the moment, which has so far surprised us extremely positively and has an exceptional player in its ranks in Mykola Bilyk. They will demand everything from us,” said Germany’s goalkeeper and recalled the successes of the Austrians at this European Handball Championship: clear victory over Romania, a draw against the top teams Croatia and Spain, and on Thursday the narrow victory against the previously unbeaten Hungarians. With three points, Ales Pajovic’s team is currently in second place in the table.
4:17 p.m
Cake and serenade for Birthday boy Steinert
After the emotional win against Iceland, Germany’s handball players celebrated backcourt player Christoph Steinert’s birthday and the first two points of the European Championship main round.
3:12 p.m
Gislason has ticked off the Iceland victory and respects Austria
Directly after the game against Iceland, Alfred Gislason was actually already thinking about the next opponent. “I spent relatively little time with the news on my cell phone, but rather with the Austrians well into the night,” The national coach reported on Friday and demanded full concentration from his protégés around goalkeeper Andreas Wolff: “Every game is a final and it starts all over again. A defeat against Austria – and the dream of the semi-final would be over.”